Enter the Bible - Books: Psalms AUTHOR: Fred Gaiser, Professor of Old Testament I. Book I (Psalms 1-41) Psalms 1 and 2 serve to introduce the entire book. All but two of Psalms 3-41 are termed psalms "of David" (Psalms 10 and 33 are the exceptions), and several of the titles refer to events in David's life (for example, Psalms 3 and 18); other psalms do this as well, later in the Psalter. Most of the psalms in Book I are individual psalms of lament, though other types are interspersed. Book I closes with a doxology, found as Psalm 41:13, though this is not really a part of that psalm. II.

Book II (Psalms 42-72) Here are psalms ascribed to the Korahites, a group of temple singers (Psalms 42-49), to Asaph, a temple musician (Psalm 50), to David (Psalms 51-65; 68-70), and to Solomon (Psalm 72). Individual laments predominate, with a few more community laments and other types. Book II closes with a doxology (found as Psalm 72:18-19) and with an announcement that the "prayers of David" are ended (Psalm 72:20). III. Book III (Psalms 73-89) Book III begins with psalms of Asaph (73-83) and includes songs of other singer guilds (84-85; 87-89) and one "prayer of David" (86). Now, along with a mixture of other types, there is an approximately equal number of individual and community laments.

The book closes with a brief doxology (found as Psalm 89:52). IV. Book IV (Psalms 90-106) This book includes the only "prayer of Moses" (90) and two psalms attributed to David (101; 103), but many psalms are associated with no person or group or have no title whatsoever. Several of the hymns sing of God as "king" (93; 95-99). Psalms 105 and 106 review the history of Israel under God. With Book IV, the tone of the Psalter turns primarily to praise. As usual, a doxology closes the book (at Psalm 106:48). V. Book V (Psalms 107-150) Book V includes thirteen more psalms of David (108-110; 124; 131; 138-145) and one psalm of Solomon (127). The major collection in this section is the Songs of Ascents (120-134).

Here, too, is the lengthy Torah psalm (119). Though the book contains several laments, including the sharp community lament of Psalm 137, the overall tone remains praise. Unlike the previous four books, there is no brief closing doxology; instead, five hymns (146-150) close the entire five books of the Psalter with glorious songs of praise. AUTHOR: Fred Gaiser, Professor of Old Testament The book of Psalms contains songs and prayers collected over the life of Israel. Some seem ancient and reflect rites and ceremonies from the earliest days (for example, Psalm 68). Others apparently cry out over the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 587 B.C.E. (for example, Psalm 74), while yet others know of the return from Babylon (538 B.C.E.) and the life of the postexilic community (for example, Psalm 107). The collection process continued even into the intertestamental period, as indicated by the inclusion of Psalm 151 in the Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) and Psalms 151-155 in the Dead Sea scrolls.

In other words, the book of Psalms reflects many authors, collectors, and revisers throughout Israel's history. The titles or superscripts of the various psalms are generally thought to be added late in the process of collection. Most frequently, they indicate liturgical and musical information, often thought to reflect the worship of the Second Temple (after 515 B.C.E.). The duties and divisions of priests described in 1 Chronicles probably comes from this postexilic period as well, and many of those "in charge of the service of song in the house of the Lord" (1 Chronicles 6:31) are named both in Chronicles and in the psalm titles. This no doubt accurately reflects a significant role of the priests in the authorship, gathering, and singing of psalms. While the psalms reflect Israel's temple worship and assume some knowledge of the activities there, they also assume a relation to the life of David and Israel's sacred history.

Songs (or psalms) are included often in the historical material of the Bible (for example, the song of Moses and Miriam in Exodus 15:1-21; the song of Deborah in Judges 5:1-31; the song of Hannah in 1 Samuel 2:1-10). Psalm 18 occurs both in the Psalter and in its assumed historical context, 2 Samuel 22:2-51. Israel turned to God in song and prayer in response to God's steadfast love shown in Israel's history. As written in a book, the psalms became also a basis for meditation and instruction. They could now be read and prayed apart from formal worship and thus received another important function, especially in the synagogue. First used as songs and prayers addressed to God, they came to be received as part of Holy Scripture, bringing God's word to God's people. Psalm 1's counsel to "meditate" on God's law "day and night" already reflects this use. AUTHOR: Fred Gaiser, Professor of Old Testament • Alphabetical or acrostic psalms.

Some psalms have an alphabetical acrostic pattern in which each verse begins with a subsequent letter of the Hebrew alphabet--including, as it were, everything "from A to Z" (or alef to tav, in Hebrew). The simplest of these have twenty-two verses, each beginning in order with a different letter (Psalms 25; 34; 145--though the present manuscript of 145 lacks a verse for "n" [Hebrew nun]). The fact that Psalms 9 and 10 together form an acrostic is a strong indication that they are to be read as a unit (as they are in the Septuagint). The lengthy Psalm 119 is a complex acrostic in which each of the twenty-two stanzas has eight lines, each of which begins with the same Hebrew letter, the stanzas following in Hebrew alphabetical order (thus, the 176 verses: eight times twenty-two). This intricate structure has a kind of mathematical precision that seems to match the psalmist's delight in God's decrees (Psalm 119:14).

The use of all the letters of the alphabet is one way to point to the fact that "all [God's] commandments are right" (v. 172). • Dance. Three psalms make reference to dance (Psalms 30:11; 149:3; 150:4), the latter two explicitly calling for dance as an element of worship. Israel danced for joy both in victory (Exodus 15:20) and in the presence of God (2 Samuel 6:5). When God makes all things new, people will dance (Jeremiah 31:4, 13). Israel's worship involved all the senses. Just as all creation claps and sings in praise of God (Psalm 98:8; 148), so also God's people join in that song and dance (Psalms 149 and 150). • David's life.

Several of the psalm headings make explicit reference to an event in the life of David (3; 7; 18; 34; 51; 52; 54; 56; 57; 59; 60; 63; 142). The best known of these is Psalm 51's association with David's sin with Bathsheba. These headings were no doubt later additions, but they serve to link the Psalter to the life of David and the history of the monarchy. Worship is not dissociated from the world for Israel. The link with David builds on the tradition's memory of David as singer and musician (1 Samuel 16:16-23; 1 Chronicles 16:7, 37-43; Sirach 47:8-10). More, it reads the psalms as prayers of God's anointed king, the "messiah," thus supporting a messianic orientation of the Psalter. • Doxologies. A doxology is an expression of praise, usually related to worship.

The first four books of the Psalter are marked at the end by a brief doxology. Although now incorporated into the final psalm of the book (41:13; 72:18-19; 89:52; 106:48), these are actually liturgical closings for the book itself, not part of a particular psalm. Book V closes with a longer doxological unit (Psalms 146-150), those five psalms perhaps matching the five books of the Psalter. Psalm 150 is entirely a call to praise and serves to close both Book V and the whole book of Psalms. • The Five Books. The Psalter is now divided into five books, each ending with a doxology or utterance of praise. Most students understand this to correspond to the five books of Moses (the Torah or Pentateuch).

An early Jewish commentary (Midrash Tehillim) says, "As Moses gave five books of laws to Israel, so David gave five books of Psalms to Israel." Some modern readers have used the analogy of the sermon hymn: the Old Testament has five books of hymns to match its primary five books of sermons (Genesis through Deuteronomy). Some recent scholarship has suggested that the content of the five books of psalms relates to the main periods of Israel's history, Books I-III (with many laments) corresponding to the failures that led to the destruction of Jerusalem in 587 B.C.E. and Books IV-V (with more hymns) proclaiming, in response, the hope of God's reign. • Genres or types of psalms. Although each psalm is unique (except Psalm 53, which essentially duplicates Psalm 14), many fall into recognizable categories or types-sometimes according to literary form, sometimes according to similar content. Most prevalent are the psalms of lament in which pray-ers individually or communally cry to God for help in times of need (see the analysis of Psalm 6, below).

Related to the laments are the psalms of trust in which the pray-er expresses confidence in God despite the present distress (see Psalm 23, below).There are also songs of thanksgiving that praise God for an experience of healing or deliverance (see Psalm 30, below). The hymns offer more general praise to God for the steadfast love shown both in creation and history (see Psalm 113 and 148, below). Several royal psalms speak of Israel's earthly king (the "messiah" or "anointed one") and lend a messianic orientation to the book (see Psalm 72, below). Some readers also identify wisdom or torah psalms that derive from Israel's tradition of wisdom and teaching (see Psalms 19 and 73, below). Songs of Zion sing of the security to be found at Zion or Jerusalem because of the protecting presence of God (see Psalm 46, below).

There are psalms of mixed type and psalms with particular liturgical elements, such as the procession of Psalm 68 and the entrance liturgies of Psalms 15 and 24 (see Psalm 24, below). The identification of types of psalms is one fruit of the scholarship called "form criticism" that seeks to understand the nature and use of different types of biblical literature. • Hallelujah. "Hallelujah" means "Praise the Lord!" "Halal" is the Hebrew verb to praise ("hallelu" is a plural imperative form), and "Jah" is a shortened form of God's Hebrew name, Yahweh. This is one of the most characteristic terms in the Psalter, especially toward the latter part. It frequently begins and ends a particular psalm (including Psalms 146-150). The term functions grammatically as an imperative call to praise God, but it comes to be a shout of praise itself (Psalm 111:1; Revelation 19:6).

Some linguists believe that the word may have derived from the repetitive ha-la-la-la-la sound of ululation, a typical cry of praise and joy among many peoples. • Inclusio or inclusion. Many psalms begin and end with the same or very similar words. Psalm 8, for example, begins and ends with "O LORD, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!" Scholars call this repetition an inclusion or inclusio (the Latin form). It is one typical feature of Hebrew poetry, which serves, among other things, to provide "bookends" that tie together a poetic unit. The inclusio can surround an entire psalm or a portion of a psalm (for example, "blot out" in 51:1 and 9, marking the beginning and end of the first stanza of that psalm). • Melodies. Several psalm headings seem to many readers to indicate the melody to which the psalm would have been sung or played.

Examples include "Muth-labben" or "Death of the Son" (Psalm 9), "The Deer of the Dawn" (Psalm 22), "Lilies" (Psalms 45 and 69), "The Dove on Far-off Terebinths" (Psalm 56), "Do Not Destroy" (Psalms 57-59); and "The Lily of the Covenant" (Psalm 60; see also Psalm 80). The titles are intriguing, the more so since we no longer know how they would have sounded. Essentially untranslatable terms like "Gittith" (for example, Psalm 8) and "Sheminith" (for example, Psalm 6) might also refer to tunes or instrumentation. • Parallelism. Psalms are poems, and the most characteristic feature of Hebrew poetry is parallelism.

The poet says something once, and then says it again-or adds a second line that is clearly related to the first in a variety of possible ways: "Bless the Lord, O my soul, / and all that is within me, bless his holy name" (Psalm 103:1); "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? / The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" (Psalm 27:1). Parallelism has been called a rhyme of meaning, rather than the rhyme of sound that is characteristic of much English poetry. One line develops, enhances, and extends the thought of the other line. It might do this by using a similar grammatical construction (Psalm 103:10), rewording the thought in another way (Psalm 69:3), balancing a positive idea with a negative one (Psalm 37:21), or pairing commonly associated words-"people" in one line, for example, and "nations" in the next (Psalm 111:6), or "justice" and "righteousness" (Psalm 72:1).

Parallelism may have served as a memory device or to enable musical or responsive use of the psalms in worship, but it is also part of the aesthetic beauty of the poetry and a contribution to its rhythmic effect on the hearer. The biblical word becomes richer and stronger through this repetition and extension. Parallelism can function not only within individual verses (or neighboring verses) but also over longer units of a text. • The penitential psalms. The early Christian church identified seven "penitential psalms" that were found to be particularly applicable for times of repentance and contrition (Psalms 6; 32; 38; 51; 102; 130; 143), especially during the season of Lent. Of the seven psalms, Psalm 51 contains the fullest confession of sin. • The psalms in Christian worship. The psalms-prayers and songs of the Jewish temple and synagogue-have been used in every generation of Christian worship as well, beginning already in the New Testament church (Ephesians 5:19). St.

Augustine (354-430 C.E.) and other early teachers of the church speak frequently of their joy in singing the psalms. Psalms chosen for the day have served as essential elements of Sunday worship since early times, a practice carried over from Catholicism and Orthodoxy by many churches of the Reformation. Christian religious communities have regularly prayed and meditated upon psalms, often moving in order through the entire Psalter. Some Protestant traditions sang only psalms in worship rather than other hymns, translating or paraphrasing the psalms and setting them to melodies for congregational use. An example of this is William Kethe's "All People That on Earth Do Dwell," based on Psalm 100. Less direct psalm paraphrases have been the basis for many other hymns as well, including Martin Luther's "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" (from Psalm 46) and Isaac Watts's "O God, Our Help in Ages Past" (Psalm 90). Throughout history, psalms have been used in private and group devotions as a primary resource for meditation and prayer. • Psalm pairs.

Recent studies have noted that certain psalms seem deliberately to have been placed back to back, enhancing or playing off of one another in a variety of ways. Psalms 1 and 2, for example, work together to introduce the book (see below). Another obvious example is the combination of Psalms 103 and 104. Both begin and end with "Bless the Lord, O my soul," which occurs nowhere else. The combination expands our basis for praising God by joining God's works of mercy in Psalm 103 ("who forgives all your iniquity, and who heals all your diseases"-v. 3) with God's wonderful work of creation in Psalm 104 ("You set the earth on its foundation, so that it shall never be shaken"-v. 5). • Selah (and other rubrics for worship). Selah is perhaps the most prominent of the many liturgical or musical notations that accompany the psalms, because it occurs (74 times) within the psalms themselves rather than in the headings. It is almost certainly some kind of rubric or instruction for worship, but its actual meaning remains uncertain.

The other most frequent worship note is "to the leader" (55 times in headings; for example, Psalm 4), which seems to indicate some kind of priestly leadership role. Psalm headings also sometimes make reference to the use of particular musical instruments (Psalms 4 and 5, for example). All of these liturgical references are the clearest evidence for the Psalter's use as a kind of "hymnbook" for the worship of ancient Israel. • Setting in Life. One of the goals of the study of the types or categories of psalms (a method called "form criticism"), pioneered by the German scholar Hermann Gunkel early in the twentieth century, was to identify the "setting in life" of the various psalm types. Generally, this meant determining how the psalm was used in the worship life of Israel. While there has never been agreement about the worship setting for individual laments, Hannah's story seems to suggest a place for bringing personal concerns before God in the presence of a priest (1 Samuel 1:1-18).

The Bible gives clearer directions for community lamentation in catastrophic times (1 Kings 8:33-40; Joel 2:1, 12-17). Songs of thanksgiving include sacrifices and bearing witness to the congregation of God's personal deliverance of an individual (Psalm 66:13-20). The hymns of praise were thought to accompany the sacrifices and festival worship of all the people (Psalm 100). Royal psalms apparently were used to celebrate special events such as a coronation (Psalm 2) or a royal wedding (Psalm 45). The kingship of God is praised in the enthronement psalms (especially 93; 96-99), which may have been sung at the festivals to accompany the celebration of God's great acts in Israel's history. Other psalms reflect other liturgical practices, such as entrance into the temple grounds (15; 24), a blessing ceremony (67), or thanksgiving for the harvest (65). • Songs of Ascents. The Songs of Ascents comprise one obvious collection within the Psalter (Psalms 120-134).

Many understand these to be psalms that would have been used during the times of Israel's "ascent" or "going up" to Jerusalem for festival worship (see Deuteronomy 16:16; Psalm 24:3). Though they are psalms of various types, they make frequent reference to the security found in Jerusalem and Zion (especially 122; 125; 134) and to the kind of protection needed by pilgrims on a long and possibly dangerous journey (especially Psalm 121). Because of this emphasis on God's protection and the many references to the ordinary affairs of life (Psalms 127-128; 131; 133), these psalms still function well as prayers for believers in their own life journeys. • Tehillim. The title of the book of Psalms in the Hebrew Bible is "Tehillim," which means "songs of praise." This may seem odd for a book made up primarily of songs of lament, especially in the first part of the collection, but it reflects the fact that, fundamentally, worship in Israel was about the praise of God.

Just as particular lament psalms often move finally to praise, so also does the entire Psalter. Laments characterize the first three books of psalms, praise characterizes the last two. The book itself takes the reader or pray-er from lament to praise, just as do individual psalms. Worship provides the opportunity for the person in distress to come before God in prayer, to find comfort, and to be restored to the community's praise of God (Psalm 22:25). • Titles or superscripts. Most of the psalms (116 of them) have titles or superscripts. These headings are generally thought to have been added when the psalms were collected into the book, thus not a part of the original poem. The titles contain different kinds of information, such as a connection with a person or group (for example, David, Solomon, the Korahites), a particular time in David's life, an indication of the type of psalm (psalm, song, prayer, miktam), the use in worship ("for the memorial offering"), and musical or liturgical instructions ("to the leader"; "for the Gittith"; "according to the Deer of the Dawn").

Some of these terms are clear to us; others are obscure. They provide information about the use of the psalms in the period of the Second Temple. AUTHOR: Fred Gaiser, Professor of Old Testament • Bonhoeffer on the Psalms. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the theologian martyred by the Nazis in 1945, used the psalms regularly in his own devotional life and with his students at the Finkenwalde seminary of the anti-Nazi Confessing Church. He wrote: "Whenever the Psalter is abandoned, an incomparable treasure is lost to the Christian church. With its recovery will come unexpected power" (Life Together; Prayerbook of the Bible [Minneapolis: Fortress, 2005] 162). Bonhoeffer understood the psalms to be given to Christians as the prayers of Christ. • Christ and the Psalms. Jesus died with psalms on his lips, quoting from or referring directly to Psalm 22 (Mark 15:34), Psalm 31 (Luke 23:46), and Psalm 69 (John 19:28).

On Holy Thursday, Jesus and the disciples left for the Mount of Olives after "they had sung the hymn" (Mark 14:26), which was certainly a psalm. As faithful Jews, Jesus and the disciples regularly sang and prayed the psalms. The New Testament repeatedly uses verses from the psalms to describe or interpret the ministry of Jesus. • Enemies. Many of the psalms include prayers against "enemies," often sounding so harsh that present readers are shocked or repulsed. Sometimes the pray-er asks God for protection in the face of enemies (69:14); sometimes the petition is for retribution against them (69:23-29). The enemies are sometimes close and personal (41:5, 9); sometimes they are public and political--enemies of the people (74:4, 22-23) or of the king (45:5).

• "Glory be to the Father.…" Over the centuries, many Christians have ended their use of psalms in worship with a doxology: "Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit." This brief hymn serves as a witness to the trinitarian understanding of God in the Christian community--the God to whom they believe the psalms bear witness. Christians do not thereby deny that they have "borrowed" the psalms from the Jewish people of God, who continue to pray them regularly and faithfully, but Christian believers acknowledge the gift of the psalms to them through Christ. • The hiddenness of God. Many of the psalms cry in distress over the perceived hiddenness, absence, or silence of God (for example, 13:1; 22:1-2)--a significant element of the lament psalms. Although the psalmists confess God's faithfulness and steadfast love (25:10), they recognize that sometimes God seems far off. • The king in the Psalms.

Many psalms speak directly about Israel's earthly king, sometimes called the "anointed" one (Hebrew: messiah) (2; 18; 20; 21; 72; 89; 101; 110; 132; 144). Many mention David in the headings. These references show that the king played a major role in the worship life of Israel, not just the political life ("temple" and "palace" are the same word in Hebrew). The role of the king gives the psalms a messianic orientation, making them part of the biblical literature that looks forward to the future in messianic hope. • Luther on the Psalms. For Martin Luther, Holy Scripture proclaims Jesus Christ, and the Psalter was no exception.

"It promises Christ's death and resurrection so clearly," he wrote, "…that it might well be called a little Bible….I have a notion that the Holy Spirit wanted to take the trouble himself to compile a short Bible…so that anyone who could not read the whole Bible would here have anyway almost an entire summary of it, comprised in one little book." Unique to the Psalter, however, is that one can find there not only Christ but also oneself: "Everyone, in whatever situation he may be, finds in that situation psalms and words that fit his ease, that suit him as if they were put there just for his sake, so that he could not have put it better himself." So, Luther said, in the Psalter "you have a fine, bright, pure mirror that will show you what Christendom is. Indeed you will find in it also yourself…as well as God himself and all creatures" (Luther's Works, vol. 35 [Philadelphia: Muhlenberg, 1960] 253-257.) • The name of God. Almost one hundred times, the psalms praise or appeal to the "name" of God.

Psalm 75:1 understands why: "We give thanks to you, O God; we give thanks; your name is near." Israel worships at the temple because that is where God has promised to be present for them (Deuteronomy 16:11). • The New Testament and Psalms. Many Christians have carried pocket versions of "The New Testament and Psalms." This unique connection of one particular Old Testament book with the New Testament marks the importance of the book of Psalms for the Christian church. The book was the prayer book and hymnbook of ancient Israel, and it has taken over that same function for Christians. • Prophetic critique of worship. On many occasions, the Old Testament prophets condemned worship when it became hypocritical or manipulative, as though acts and words could themselves secure God's favor apart from faith and service; sometimes, this critique apparently condemned even the use of psalms (Amos 5:21-24).

Based on this, some students of the Old Testament have suggested a sharp distinction between the religion of the prophets and that of the priests, but the psalms themselves include the same kind of critique of false worship (Psalm 50:7-15; Psalm 51:15-17). • The psalms as word of God. Unique among biblical literature, the book of Psalms, virtually in its entirety, is directed "upward" toward God rather than "downward" from God to humans. Though the individual psalms are songs and prayers addressed to God, the reader or hearer can find in this address testimony to the nature and work of God. Because they proclaim God, the psalms, once gathered into a book, can be read for meditation and inspiration; they can serve as texts for preaching and even function prophetically, pointing forward, for example, to the work of God in Christ (see, for example, Mark 12:35-37; Hebrews 2:5-9). • Sacrifice in the psalms.

Many of the psalms make reference to sacrificial offerings--animal sacrifices (20:3), cups of libation (drink offerings, 116:13), or offerings of thanksgiving (50:23) and prayer (141:2). Psalms like these, no doubt, were sung to accompany sacrificial offerings in the temple. Sacrifice was done in a spirit of giving, along with prayer and praise, signs of faith in the grace of God. • Sheol (the Pit). Several psalms pray for deliverance from Sheol or the Pit. Sheol was understood as the abode of the dead--not "hell" as the destiny of the wicked, but the place of all the dead, good or evil; the Pit was a synonym for Sheol or for the grave. For ancient Israel, death was the end of life worthy of the name, for in Sheol there was no relationship with God (6:5; 30:9). Psalm 139's confession that "if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there" (v.

8) seems to be something of a breakthrough, recognizing there is no place cut off from God's presence. • The soul. There are 144 occurrences in the Psalter of the Hebrew word for "soul" (nefesh). In the Bible, the "soul" is not something that exists apart from the body, but is rather the "self," that which is most particularly and most fully "me"--all of "me," including body, soul, and spirit. This frequent use of "soul" calls attention to the deeply personal character of the psalms. • The steadfast love of God. While the psalmists know well the troubles of human existence and the experience of God's distance or anger, finally they give thanks for the enduring presence of God's "steadfast love." The Hebrew term (khesedh) refers to God's faithfulness and loyalty. Israel can rely on God's goodness and kindness, because this is who God has promised to be. The term occurs more than 120 times in the book of Psalms.

The Book Of Psalms Speaks To Hurting Hearts By Jack Zavada Book of Psalms: The book of Psalms contains some of the most beautiful poetry ever written, but many people find that these verses describe human problems so well that they make excellent prayers . The book of Psalms is the place to go when you're hurting. The Hebrew title of the book translates to "praises." The word "psalm" comes from the Greek psalmoi, meaning "songs." This book is also called the Psalter. Originally, these 150 poems were meant to be sung and were used in ancient Jewish worship services, accompanied by lyres, flutes, horns, and cymbals. King David established a 4,000 piece orchestra to play during worship ( 1 Chronicles 23:5 ). Because the Psalms are poems, they use poetic devices such as imagery, metaphors, similes, personification, and hyperbole. In reading the Psalms, believers must take these tools of language into account. Over the centuries, Bible scholars have debated over categorizing the Psalms.

They fall into these general types of hymns: laments, praise, thanksgiving, celebrations of God's law, wisdom, and expressions of confidence in God. Further, some pay tribute to Israel's royalty, while others are historical or prophetic. Jesus Christ loved the Psalms. With his dying breath, he quoted Psalm 31:5 from the cross : "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." ( Luke 23:46, NIV ) Author of the Book of Psalms: Following are the authors and the number of Psalms attributed to them: David, 73; Asaph, 12; sons of Korah, 9; Solomon, 2; Heman, 1; Ethan, 1; Moses , 1; and anonymous, 51. Date Written: Approximately B.C. 1440 to B.C. 586. Written To: God, the people of Israel, and believers throughout history. Landscape of the Book of Psalms: Only a few Psalms detail Israel's history, but many were written during crucial events in the life of David and reflect his feelings during those crises.

Themes in the Book of Psalms: Psalms covers timeless themes, which explains why it is as relevant to God's people today as when the songs were written thousands of years ago. Trusting in God is certainly the dominant theme, followed by praising God for his love . Rejoicing in God is simply the joyous celebration of Jehovah. Mercy is another important theme, as David the sinner pleads for God's forgiveness . Key Characters in Psalms: God the Father features prominently in every psalm. The titles reflect who the first person ("I") narrator is, in most cases David. Key Verses: Psalm 23:1-4 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

(KJV) Psalm 37:3-4 Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. (KJV) Psalm 103:11-12 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. (KJV) Psalm 139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (KJV) Outline of the Book of Psalms: Book 1 - Psalms 1-41 - The five divisions correspond roughly to the five books of Moses. The first book is like Genesis , detailing blessing, fall, and redemption.

Book 2 - Psalms 42-72 - Like Exodus , this book describes ruin, and rescue by God. Book 3 - Psalms 73-89 - As Leviticus covers God's tabernacle, this book covers God's temple. Book 4 - Psalms 90-106 - Numbers tells of Israel's relationship to other nations; this book tells of God's kingdom compared to neighboring nations. Book 5 - Psalms 107-150 - Deuteronomy was about God and his Word, and this book consists of praise for God and his Word. SparkNotes: Bible: The Old Testament: Psalms page 1 of 2 Overview A psalm is a religious poem or song set to music. Some of the psalms in the Book of Psalms are hymns to be sung by a congregation, and “Songs of Ascent” to be sung by pilgrims approaching the Temple. Some are private prayers, and some are lyrical devices for recalling historical events in Israel’s history.

In its current form, the Book of Psalms contains one hundred and fifty individual psalms, although this number may vary in different biblical translations. Traditionally, the psalms are separated into five books, and many poems are further distinguished by brief titles attributing the given work to a specific author, though these titles were probably added at a later date by an editor or group of editors of the psalms; the authorship of the psalms is uncertain at best. Because the subject matter of the psalms ranges from the events of King David’s dynasty to the exile of the Israelites in Babylon, the poems may have been composed anywhere from the tenth century b.c. to the sixth century b.c. or later. Many of the psalms rehearse episodes of Israel’s history, especially the story of Israel’s exodus from Egypt and its arrival in the promised land. Psalm 137 is a beautiful lament of the early days of Israel’s captivity in Babylon. The poem opens with the image of the Israelites weeping by the banks of the Babylonian rivers, longing for Jerusalem, or Zion.

When their captors ask the Israelites to sing for them, the Israelites refuse, hanging their harps on the branches of the willow trees. The poet asks, “How could we sing the Lord’s / song / in a foreign land?” (137:4). The poem ends with a call for vengeance on the Babylonians. It acts as an earnest reminder both to the exiled Israelites and to later biblical readers of the importance of the promised land for the celebration of the Jewish faith. Types of Psalms A majority of the biblical psalms are devoted to expressing praise or thanksgiving to God. Psalm 8, for instance, is a communal or public declaration of praise to God for his relationship with creation. The poet praises God for his command over each level of creation, beginning with the cosmos, then descending gradually to humankind, the animals, and, lastly, the sea. The speaker expresses amazement that God, who is above the heavens, not only concerns himself with the welfare of humans but places humans directly beneath himself in importance, granting them authority over the rest of creation, which is “under their feet” (8:6).

Poems such as Psalm 46 praise “the city of God” or “Zion” for being God’s home, and many of the psalms suggest a grand entrance to Jerusalem, such as Psalm 100: “Enter his gates with thanksgiving, / and his courts with praise” (100:4). Similarly, when the speaker says in Psalm 121, “I lift my eyes to the hills,” the poem conveys the expectation and longing of the Jewish worshipper as he approaches the Temple in Jerusalem (121:1). Another category of psalms includes laments or supplications, poems in which the author requests relief from his physical suffering and his enemies. These enemies may be actual, such as opposing nations or public accusers, or they may be figurative depictions of an encroaching spiritual evil. In Psalm 22, the speaker characterizes the band of nondescript evildoers that trouble the poet as a series of approaching ravenous animals—first bulls, then roaring lions, and then dogs. The evildoers surround the speaker, staring at and gloating over his now shriveled and emaciated body, finally stripping him of his clothes.

In verse nineteen, the speaker cries for God’s relief, and God proceeds to deliver him from each of the three beasts in reverse order—first from the dog, then from the lion, and finally from the wild oxen. God’s sudden rescue complete, the psalm of lament becomes a psalm of thanksgiving as the speaker vows to announce God’s praises to all of Israel. Supplication and lament are integral parts of another type of psalm, in which the poet moves from despair over his own wrongdoing to a profession of deeper faith in God. These are some of the most beloved psalms, for they are deeply personal poems that offer hope of redemption for the individual. The poet decries his spiritual despair using metaphors similar to the psalms of lament. In Psalm 40, the poet is stuck in a “desolate / pit” and a “miry bog” until God sets him “upon a rock” (40:2). The poet walks through dark valleys in Psalm 23, his body wastes away in Psalm 32, and his bones are crushed in Psalm 51.

God relieves the poet by acting as a “refuge,” a “strong fortress,” and a “hiding place” (31:2, 32:7). 1 The Book of Psalms - Life, Hope & Truth The Book of Psalms by Roy Demarest The major book in the Writings section is the book of Psalms. What can we learn from this book of Hebrew poetry and songs? What are its major themes? Do you have a favorite part of the Bible? Many people do. Many surveys have been done where this question has been asked of church-going Christians, and the answers are generally the same. In the New Testament, the four Gospels are consistently listed as the most popular. In the Old Testament, the book of Psalms is the clear winner. In fact, if there is only one chapter in the Bible that most people have actually memorized, it would most likely be a Psalm, and it would probably be the 23rd Psalm. Actually, there are 150 psalms in the book of Psalms, and all of them contain valuable information about life’s most important questions. How much do you know about the other 149 psalms?

What subjects do they deal with, what instructions do they give, and how can they help a person in the 21st century? It can be helpful to have some background information about the entire book. Even if we have been reading the Psalms for many years, would we be able to answer questions such as: Who wrote the Psalms? What does the word psalm mean? How were the Psalms used by God’s people in the Old Testament? Authors and sections The Psalms are a collection of the writings of several different authors. However, there is general consensus in conservative circles that King David of Israel was the major source and collector of the Psalms. The Psalms are divided into five major sections: Psalms 1-41 (Book 1). Psalms 90-106 (Book 4). Psalms 107-150 (Book 5). David is listed in the superscription of 73 psalms. This does not necessarily mean that David wrote all of them, as the designation may mean simply that the psalm is about David.

Moses is listed as the author of Psalm 90, and Solomon is listed as the author of Psalms 72 and 127. Other authors listed in the psalm titles include Asaph (12 psalms), descendants of Korah (11 psalms), Heman the Ezrahite (Psalm 88) and Ethan the Ezrahite (Psalm 89). Hymns and Hebrew poetry There are some very interesting things to note about the construction and style of the Psalms. The root meaning of the title of the book in both Hebrew and Greek is to play instrumental music and to sing to musical accompaniment. Services at God’s temple involved the singing of these hymns with the accompaniment of stringed and wind instruments. In one sense, the book of Psalms was like a hymnal for God’s temple services. There is another feature of the construction of the book of Psalms that makes it stand out from the rest of the Bible. The book of Psalms is actually what we might call Hebrew poetry.

However, it is unlike the English poetry many of us are familiar with, in that there is no rhyme and almost no meter or cadence in the writing. The outstanding feature of Hebrew poetry is the use of parallelism, meaning there is a balance within one or more sentences of similar phrases or clauses that have the same grammatical construction. Here are a few examples that illustrate this point: Psalm 15:1: “LORD, ‘Who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill?’” In this verse, the thought is repeated using different words. Psalm 1:6: “For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.” Here the thought is contrasted. Psalm 1:1: “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful.” In this verse the thought is built up and restated several times. This construction is important to remember so we can understand what the words are saying. A word or phrase on one line may be clarified and explained by what is said on the next line.

The key to fully understanding the message of a particular psalm is to make sure we read the entire section or psalm. The Psalms tend to place thoughts, concepts and ideas concerning doctrine together. The greatest benefits of Psalms The 150 psalms are much more than beautiful literary compositions. The greatest benefits to the seeker of truth from the book of Psalms are not found in its construction or musical origins, but the timeless and uplifting truths it offers to people of every nation and age. Eternal truths are written in a form that challenges the human intellect and touches the human heart. The words, phrases, lines and sentences with their recurring thoughts are able to teach us and reach us in ways that few things can. This is the book of Psalms’ greatest appeal. Nearly all of life’s important questions are addressed in these 150 psalms: How to remain godly in the face of great trials. Questions about the injustices of the world. Dealing with depression and despair. Facing our own mortality at the end of our lives. Why God allows suffering. Repentance, forgiveness, mercy and the reconciliation of the whole world to God. The glory and grandeur of God.

Overall themes There are certain overall themes that appear many times in the Psalms. In various commentaries on the Psalms, these themes are noted as always standing out. First, the Psalms show an awareness of God’s presence in people’s everyday lives. God was not just a doctrinal issue to people, but Someone who was interested in everything they did. We see this principle continued in the New Testament in what Jesus taught His disciples: “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things” (Matthew 6:31-32). Second, man’s duty to serve and obey God is emphasized throughout the Psalms. Mankind must do more than just praise and talk about God; we must obey God’s law. It’s wonderful to be stirred by singing beautiful hymns about God, but what really matters is that we are moved to live a certain way—God’s way. Third, the Psalms speak often of Israel and Zion. Mount Zion is Jerusalem, and Jerusalem is a type of the Kingdom of God .

We often read of Israel being the “chosen people,” but in Psalms and the New Testament, it is clear that this never had the purpose of promoting an attitude of superiority. Peter said in the book of Acts that God is no respecter of persons ( Acts 10:34 , King James Version). A note of salvation for all the nations of the world is deeply embedded in some of the psalms. In reference to Zion, which represents God’s Kingdom, we read, “I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to those who know Me; behold, O Philistia and Tyre, with Ethiopia: ‘This one was born there.’ And of Zion it will be said, ‘This one and that one were born in her; and the Most High Himself shall establish her.’ The LORD will record, when He registers the peoples: ‘This one was born there’” (Psalm 87:4-6). Thus Psalm 87 proclaims that people of all nations are going to become citizens of God’s Kingdom. Commenting on verse 5 in Psalm 87, Dr. A.

Cohen writes that the phrase “this man and that” means, “More idiomatically ‘each and every’ nation, not only those enumerated in the preceding verse will be entitled to claim citizenship in the universal Zion” (The Psalms, p. 284). One of the great truths of the Scriptures is that God’s plan is to save the entire world. The book of Psalms is certainly a section of the Holy Scriptures that has much to offer any student of the Word of God. In its 150 messages there is encouragement, instruction, inspiration, truth and solutions to the great issues facing mankind. The needs of the human heart and mind are cared for in this unique book. Why not take the time to study the 150 psalms more closely and benefit from the great source of godly inspiration they provide? For more on how to effectively study the Bible and practice what it teaches read the articles in the section on “ The Practical and Priceless Benefits of Bible Study .”

Question: How many Psalms are there in the Old Testament.
Answer: 150